IEC Records More Than 780,000 Special Votes On First Day Ahead Of Wednesday Municipal Elections
More than 780,000 special votes were administered across South Africa today, Monday, 2 November, as the country prepares for the 2026 local government elections on Wednesday.
IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo announced the figures during a briefing, confirming that special voting will continue on Tuesday, 3 November.
A total of 2,655,067 voters have been approved for special voting. Of these, 678,525 will cast their ballots through home visits, while 1,976,542 have been approved to vote at their registered voting stations.
The first day was not without challenges, with 217 voting stations in Cape Town opening late due to delays in the delivery of ballot papers.
The IEC attributed the delays to pressure on the ballot-printing and distribution process following a Constitutional Court ruling that required changes to candidate lists.
Mamabolo apologised to affected voters and confirmed that all the affected stations had subsequently opened. Some stations were allowed to remain open until 6pm to accommodate voters.
The IEC expects the second day of special voting to run more smoothly ahead of ordinary voting on Wednesday, 4 November.